Valentine’s Day has come and gone, but for my husband and me, we’re still kind of celebrating as we intentionally (and unintentionally) stretched it out into a 4-day weekend.
It started on Friday with some surprises I had in store for my husband. Friday started with us getting coffee together, and making sure Roy had the cupcakes I made for his work. There are a couple of holidays (Valentine’s Day, Cinco de Mayo, Thanksgiving, Roy’s birthday, and Christmas) where I always bake something for his office – it’s like a tradition. I make things for his work on more than just these days, but on these days it is a given. This year I made my favorite cupcake recipe that I created a few years ago: dark chocolate cupcakes with raspberry filling and dark chocolate raspberry buttercream frosting. It used to be a production because I have to melt the chocolate a certain way and I use real raspberries that I puree in the frosting, but now I have it down to a science. So I sent Roy off with enough cupcakes so that each person could have two, and reminded him that if there were any left at the end of the day he needed to put them in the fridge. He expected all of this, but I also wrote him a nice love note that ended with, “I love you the most infinity plus one no take backs – I always win!” The winning, was a clue that there would be another surprise for him later that morning.
A few hours later my husband texted me about the flowers that were delivered, saying he loved them and thanking me – he was really surprised. And that was the point. He would be at home on Valentine’s Day, so why not surprise him at the office… a day early. I mean it being unexpected is at least half the fun! The bouquet was even larger than I expected, and I was really happy with how it came out. I picked out all of the flowers the night before. There were stargazer lilies, and if our relationship had an official flower it would be these – they have been a part of every birthday, surprise, anniversary, etc. since forever. And we both use them. They even played a large part in our wedding, both in terms of the flowers that were used for decorations and because we named a table after the flower at our reception. There were also dark pink roses, because I just got him red roses two months ago and didn’t want to replicate the bouquet, dark purple stock which was one of our wedding colors, and baby’s breath and a few other finishing touches. But since red is my signature color, you know the big bow attached was bright RED. There was also a red sparkly heart in the bouquet. The flowers were a hit, and I was happy because Roy was genuinely speechless and that doesn’t happen all that often when you’re married.
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- Roy’s Flowers
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- Roy’s Flowers at Home
The next day, on actual Valentine’s Day, I had a big trip planned for us. I called the day (with anniversaries and Valentine’s Day we each get our own day or dinner we plan for the other) because the weather wasn’t going to be very kind on Sunday. Roy had no idea where we were going, but in the trunk I had stashed coats, other shirts and shoes, and we were off for an all-day trip to Estes Park! Roy used to always talk about wanting to go to Estes Park and then last September I kidnapped him for a week, and took him there. (Like actual kidnapping, I had bags stashed and a few co-conspirators, he didn’t have a clue: Estes Park: The Wonder, Beauty And BREAK We (I!) Needed.) We haven’t had a chance to get back up there since, but I thought that this would be the perfect day trip.
Saturday was beautiful and did not disappoint. I wanted to started and leave by 10:00 but Roy was exhausted, so I decided to change my plans and let him sleep a little longer. We left at 11:15. He did not know we were going to Estes Park until we were nearly there, and even then he (claims he) didn’t know for sure because we could be just passing through, on the way to somewhere else. Once we got there, Roy picked where he wanted to eat lunch as well as a trail in Rocky Mountain National Park to hike. He picked this pizza place we both loved on our first visit and then we stopped at an amazing coffee place (we practically lived there in September – seriously we stopped in at least two to three times per day) and then we were off to the park. When we arrived things didn’t go exactly as planned. I have walking shoes, as in shoes whose sole purpose is to hike rough terrain, but apparently it is no match for steep mountain slopes, snow and ice. So after attempting a trail with my lack of traction, Roy decided it would be better to just take a nice drive. We even tried another easier trail we hiked last time before calling it, but no dice. So instead we drove around, and parked several times, just taking in all of the natural beauty and enjoying the sunset. We also got up close and personal with several herds of deer (I wanted to run up and prance around with them, but I know better 😛 ). Then we just drove around the town (at one point a bunch of Elk caused a traffic jam – we loved it) until we went to the best barbecue we have ever experienced in the great state of Colorado (and possibly anywhere). That was my big finish for Roy. Before we left though, Roy surprised me by taking me to my favorite sweets shop and getting me ten truffles and an ice cream. This time it was on him. 😉
The next day was Roy’s turn to romance me. He got up early, even though he was exhausted from the week before, and not being able to sleep in too much on Saturday, because I have a tradition on the day after a major candy holiday: get all of the 50% off chocolate I can manage! We went to two stores and at the second one I saw this box of chocolates I really wanted: the cakes, cookies and pies assortment. But Roy kept insisting I wouldn’t like it and I let it be even though I was certain he was wrong. We just had a laidback day when we got back. Roy napped, I blogged and worked, and then that evening he took me to this restaurant that just opened a few days ago. It was an off-shoot of HuHot, which is a restaurant I introduced him to back when we were just starting out as a couple. He knows how I love sentimental throwbacks. 😉 Then it was back home for another surprise. Roy had been hiding a beautiful bouquet of red roses and lilies downstairs, along with a bear, a balloon, the box of chocolates I had seen that morning that he convinced me wouldn’t be any good (he knows me so well, he knew that was the box I would have to have) and a beautiful arrangement of chocolate covered strawberries from Edible Arrangements. My husband had done well. 🙂
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- Roy’s Present.
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- Flowers that Roy got me.
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- All the candy boxes we got Sunday morning!
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- Chocolate Covered Strawberries!
As of Monday we still hadn’t exchanged cards, though he got another little note from me before he left for work (yep, he had to work President’s Day). I have his all ready to go, and I know he has one for me, but I think we’re both so happy or wiped out from our Valentine’s Day weekend, we just didn’t feel like exchanging them. Maybe tomorrow – why not spread out the holiday as long as we can! 😛
-DMW
